liaofan_14

了凡四训英文版

Liao-Fan's Four Lessons was originally written in the Ming Dynasty of China by Mr. Liao-Fan Yuan.  The book was intended to teach his son, Tien-Chi Yuan, how to recognize the true face of destiny, how to tell good from evil, and the method for correcting one's faults and practicing kind deeds.  

It also provided living proof of the rewards and outcomes of people who practiced kind deeds and cultivated virtue and humility.  Relating from his own experience at changing destiny, Mr. Yuan himself was a living embodiment of his teachings.  

After hearing this wonderful book, one may feel more open and confident towards life, and at the same time, courageously compelled to follow the example of Liao-Fan in changing one's original destiny.  Liao- Fan's Four Lessons is truly a rare book which is not only precious to an individual's spiritual needs, but is also capable of transforming unhealthy attitudes in today's society.

印光大师序文

一、利根直探心源——顿修

圣贤之道。唯诚与明。圣狂之分。在乎一念。圣罔念则作狂。狂克念则作圣。其操纵得失之象。喻如逆水行舟。不进则退。不可不勉力操持。而稍生纵任也。明之一字。乃存养省察。从凡至圣之达道。然在凡夫地。日用之间。万境交集。一不觉察。难免种种违理情想。瞥尔而生。此想既生。则真心遂受锢蔽。若不加一番切实工夫克除净尽。则愈趋愈下。莫知底极。徒具作圣之心。永沦下愚之队。可不哀哉。然作圣不难。在自明其明德。欲明其明德。须从格物致知下手。倘人欲之物。不能极力格除。则本有真知。决难彻底显现。欲令真知显现。当于日用云为。常起觉照。不使一切违理情想。暂萌于心。常使其心。虚明洞彻。如镜当台。随境映见。但照前境。不随境转。妍媸自彼。于我何干。来不豫计。去不留恋。若或违理情想。稍有萌动。即当严以攻治。剿除令尽。如与贼军对敌。不但不使侵我封疆。尚须斩将搴旗。剿灭余党。其制军之法。必须严以自治。毋怠毋荒。克己复礼。主敬存诚。其器仗须用颜子之四勿。曾子之三省。蘧伯玉之寡过知非。加以战战兢兢。如临深渊。如履薄冰。与之相对。则军威远振。贼党寒心。惧罹灭种之极戮。冀沾安抚之洪恩。从兹相率投降。归顺至化。尽革先心，聿修厥德。上行下效。率土清宁。不动干戈。坐致太平矣。如上所说。则由格物而致知。由致知而克明明德。诚明一致。即凡成圣矣。

二、钝根断恶修善——渐修

其或根器陋劣。未能收效。当效赵阅道。日之所为。夜必焚香告帝。不敢告者。即不敢为。袁了凡诸恶莫作。众善奉行。命自我立。福自我求。俾造物不能独擅其权。受持功过格。凡举心动念。及所言所行。善恶纤悉皆记。以期善日增而恶日减。初则善恶参杂。久则唯善无恶。故能转无福为有福。转不寿为长寿。转无子孙为多子孙。现生优入圣贤之域。报尽高登极乐之乡。行为世则。言为世法。彼既丈夫我亦尔。何可自轻而退屈。

三、格物致知之真义

或问格物乃穷尽天下事物之理。致知乃推极吾之知识。必使一一晓了也。何得以人欲为物。真知为知。克治显现为格致乎。答曰。诚与明德。皆约自心之本体而言。名虽有二。体本唯一也。知与意心。兼约自心之体用而言。实则即三而一也。格致诚正明五者。皆约闲邪存诚返妄归真而言。其检点省察造诣工夫。明为总纲。格致诚正。乃别目耳。修身。正心。诚意。致知。皆所以明明德也。倘自心本有之真知。为物欲所蔽。则意不诚而心不正矣。若能格而除之。则是慧风扫荡障云尽。心月孤圆朗中天矣。此圣人示人从泛至切。从疏至亲之决定次序也。若穷尽天下事物之理。俾吾心知识悉皆明了。方能诚意者。则唯博览群书。遍游天下之人。方能诚意正心以明其明德。未能博览阅历者。纵有纯厚天资。于诚意正心。皆无其分。况其下焉者哉。有是理乎。

四、深明因果·止恶修善

然不深穷理之士。与无知无识之人。若闻理性。多皆高推圣境。自处凡愚。不肯奋发勉励。遵循从事。若告以过去现在未来三世因果。或善或恶。各有其报。则必畏恶果而断恶因。修善因而冀善果。善恶不出身口意三。既知因果。自可防护身口。洗心涤虑。虽在暗室屋漏之中。常如面对帝天。不敢稍萌匪鄙之心。以自干罪戾也已。此大觉世尊。普令一切上中下根。致知诚意正心修身之大法也。然狂者畏其拘束。谓为着相。愚者防己愧怍。谓为渺茫。除此二种人。有谁不信受。

故梦东云。善谈心性者。必不弃离于因果。而深信因果者。终必大明夫心性。此理。势所必然也。须知从凡夫地。乃至圆证佛果。悉不出因果之外。有不信因果者。皆自弃其善因善果。而常造恶因。常受恶果。经尘点劫。轮转恶道。末由出离之流也。哀哉。圣贤千言万语。无非欲人返省克念。俾吾心本具之明德。不致埋没。亲得受用耳。但人由不知因果。每每肆意纵情。纵毕生读之。亦止学其词章。不以希圣希贤为事。因兹当面错过。袁了凡先生训子四篇。文理俱畅。豁人心目。读之自有欣欣向荣。亟欲取法之势。洵淑世良谟也。永嘉周群铮居士。发愿流通。祈予为序。因撮取圣贤克己复礼闲邪存诚之意。以塞其责云。